How Much Do We Share About Our Kids?
Two articles recently offered differing perspectives on the importance—and the risks—of sharing stories about our kids.
resource
Back-to-School Reflections of a Lesbian Mom
Back-to-school time always raises mixed feelings in me. On the one hand, years of being in academia make me see September, not January, as the start of the year (or maybe it’s just a Jewish thing). On the other, the lazy days of summer are giving way to school time’s hectic rush, with my son’s after-school activities, homework reminders, and the various other events and paperwork that public education brings in its wake.
Pride Ponderings
Pride is a funny concept, with both positive and negative connotations. It goeth before a fall. It makes a combustible pairing with prejudice. The Marines, though few, lay claim to it. Pride can be overweening. It can blind us to the needs of others. But it can also remind us of what is important in life: our children, our families, our identities.
Homophobia, Perfection, and Pressure on Kids of LGBTQ Parents
One of the best pieces I’ve read this week is by a man who explains “How homophobia turned me against my gay mother.” Spoiler alert: He turned back—and in doing so, offers some very useful advice for all of us LGBTQ parents.
Two Kids Discuss Being Donor Conceived
A seven- and a twelve-year-old, a world apart, have shared their views on being donor conceived. Listen to what they have to say.
Three Tips for Easing Administrivia after a Parent’s Passing
My mom died recently of cancer. While the death of a parent is first and foremost deeply emotional, it also brings with it a host of administrative tasks, especially if the parent has no surviving spouse. Here are three things my mom, brother, and I did to ensure the administrative side of things didn’t intrude overmuch.
Finding a Little Light
I’ve been lighting the Hanukkah candles with my 11-year-old son this week and thinking about how we all could use a little light right now.
Seeking LGBTQ Parents in History
Opponents of LGBTQ equality often try to make LGBTQ parents seem like a new and untested phenomenon, and therefore something to be avoided. The history of LGBTQ parents and our children, however, goes back further than one might think.
How to Respond When Meeting Lesbian Moms
It’s National Coming Out Day, so I thought I’d post a slightly revised version of my “How to Respond When Meeting Lesbian Moms,” which I first posted on NCOD back in 2005.
A Gay-Straight Alliance in Middle School? Yes!
This fall, my son started middle school, that land of greater independence, the beginnings of puberty, and a bigger and not necessarily all LGBT-friendly student population. I was therefore thrilled to see that LGBT legal advocacy group GLAD has launched a new campaign to encourage the creation of more gay-straight alliances (GSAs) in middle schools.